Ever wonder about this question: If God already knew people were going to sin against Him, why did He create them??
Open your Bibles to James and look back briefly with me to James 1:16-17…
God is self-sufficient! God existed sufficiently before humans! God has no need for anything or anyone! God did not need to create humans!
And yes, God already had a solution for man’s sin but it was a painful solution! Why did God go through all the troubles of creating humans? James 1:17 tells us, it is God’s plan that humans bear fruit for Him and from Him!
What does Genesis 1:27?? People are created in the image of God! God created humans to share Himself!!
God created humans because God is love!
Our main message from James today is: We humans sin but God still loves!
We will not only hear this truth from God’s Word, but we will celebrate it through Communion this morning.
Read along with me James 4:4-6….
This letter was addressed to Christians 2000 years ago and it applies to us as well as God spoke through James. The letter was addressed to Christians but God called them adulterous! As can be understood in context; v4a: Christians can be “adulterous” – being intimate with the “world” instead of God!
People become Christians when they accept Jesus Christ as God who died for all their sins. But even though Christians are forgiven of their sins because of the Cross of Christ, they can, and will still, sin against God, like friending the world instead of God! According to v4, does God care if we sin??
Even though it is a losing battle, we Christians can still fight against God when we sin!
Now sadly, there are Christian leaders out there who say that sins of Christians does not matter to God.
But what do we note in v5-6?
- A Christian has the Holy spirit within them to help them live the life God desires!
- God understands that Christians will still sin and He continues to give grace!
- But if a Christian refuses God’s ever giving grace (pride in self), God will oppose him/her.
- If a Christian humbles himself/herself (depend on and trust in God’s grace), God will show favor!
Let summarize what God is telling us in preparation for Communion:
1. How is my relationship with the world in comparison to my relationship with God?
What factors measure a relationship??
2. We are to be aware of sins in our lives!
What should we be doing in practical terms for this??
Claim 1 John 1:9!
